


Mercenaries

by petrovasfire



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-12
Updated: 2014-03-12
Packaged: 2018-01-15 12:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1304494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petrovasfire/pseuds/petrovasfire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An overwhelming rush of emotions meets rum.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mercenaries

She’s tired, confused, broken and overwhelmed all at once. It’s a rush of emotions that hasn't been calm since Hook brought her and Henry back to Storybrooke. Three days isn't enough to digest what she’s just gone through. Two lives in one body, one mind; a life that she’s still struggling to accept, and another that had everything she has ever wanted in life—only to find that it’s a life that had been given to her, a life of lies.

Suddenly Emma understands exactly how her parents—and also every other resident of Storybrooke—feel. It’s been three days, but she’s still having trouble telling apart the truth from the lies. She’s surprised she still hasn't gotten a migraine from all of what she’d just gone through; from Hook’s abrupt attempt at making her remember, and then sending him to jail, to Walsh turning into an evil flying monkey. The last one probably wins the prize for the most ridiculous of these events.

She’s arched over the countertop, eyeing the bottle of rum in his hands. He’s still here. It’s just the two of them downstairs; everyone else is asleep. She’s curious to know why Hook hasn't left but, being a pirate, she guesses that he’s one to build homes out of any place he crashes.

Emma slumps into the couch next to him. He doesn't shift; just glances at her once before drinking again. Then, she simply holds out her hand.

“I think I need some of that.”

“Have at it, lass.”

The sharp taste of rum burns her throat with a heavy but delightful feeling. She drinks on greedily, as if the bottle of rum contained the answers to all of life’s questions—or at least, just hers.

Hook watches her with an amused look. Emma wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Thanks,” she says with a hiccup. After a second hiccup, she starts laughing deliriously. As the alcohol dips into her bloodstream and the thrill of emotions at full velocity, tears start springing from her eyes.

“Swan,” Hook says softly, brushing his fingers against her shoulder. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” Emma is still giggling senselessly.

If she were even half-sober right now, she would probably hate herself for appearing so vulnerable. Her wall is slowly mouldering away in a backwater—she can see the crumbling pieces and wants to pick them up and rearrange them so badly, but all she’s doing is covering her mouth with both her hands now because she can’t stop smiling and her jaws are starting to hurt.

“Sorry.” Her nerves are bouncing off her skin, but she chooses to push them away. “I’m okay.”

“That was quite a scare, love.” Hook smiles in relief. He reaches for the bottle of rum, but she tightens her grip on it.

“Not yet,” says Emma, taking another long swig.

When she hands the bottle back to Hook, it’s empty, and Hook can’t say that he isn’t impressed.

“Emma…” Hook asks, concern colouring his voice, “what’s the matter?”

She tilts her head to look up at the ceiling. Quietly, she asks, “Do you think I’m selfish?”

Hook doesn't reply; he waits and, after a pause, she continues.

“I mean, I know what Regina gave me. I know that these memories are fake, but all of it felt so real. For a while, Henry wasn't angry with me and I wasn't angry at my parents. I wasn't the Saviour. I was a mother who never gave her son up for adoption. I had a life for myself and I was just… happy.

"But then I drank the potion, and it was as if that life just melted away in front of my eyes. All the responsibilities that come along with being the Saviour crashed on my shoulders again.”

“I’m sorry, Emma.” Hook sighs. “I believe I'm the one who was selfish.”

“What are you talking about?”

“When news came of the new curse, I gathered all I had for that potion.” Hook hesitates before conceding, “I couldn't die knowing you would never remember me.”

Emma’s eyes are stinging. Why did he think that _he_ was guilty for something that _she_ was feeling? She doesn't understand it and probably never will; at least, not when all the experience she has includes Neal and Walsh. But each time he takes the blame for the things she has always felt the need to, she feels the weight on her shoulders lessening.

She decides that can’t let him see her cry again, so she tries covering it up with another fit of laughter. It doesn't work, though. She’s a blubbering mess now, and before she knows it, she’s sobbing. A pained expression comes over Hook’s face and before he can think twice about what he’s doing, he pulls her closer to him so her face sinks into his neck. He can feel her tears soaking his vest.

They stay like that for a while; his hand braced against her head, and her blond hair falling over his coat. Once she’s stopped crying, a hush descends over the room and he thinks she’s asleep. He tries to move her, but she stirs.

“I love him, you know,” she mumbles.

"Who, Swan?" Hook doesn't try to hide the disappointment in his voice. He tries not to think about Baelfire or Walsh, but he does anyway.

"Hook!" Emma exclaims suddenly and Hook jumps, thinking that she's perturbed at finding him holding her. "It's Hook, David."

Hook is puzzled at first—though that doesn't stop his heartbeat from quickening—but then when he finally understands exactly what's happening, he silently curses the rum. He doesn't know if it's truly Emma, or simply the rum talking. He knows that she probably won't remember any of this in the morning, but he won't remind her about it either. He wants her to say the words to his face when she's genuinely ready—even if it would take him years before he finally hears them.

"Actually… Killian." Her words are so slurred they barely make any sense, yet he can't wipe the growing smile on his face. "His name… Killian…"

"I love _you_ , Emma," Hook whispers. He kisses her head fleetingly as she falls back to sound sleep. "I'm sure I always have."


End file.
